Apparatus for the mixing of food materials with edible fats, chocolate, and like materials



sept 1, 192s. 1,552,293

lc'. E. GARDNE ET AL APPARATUS THE MIXING 0F FOOD `MATE LS WITH IDLE S, CI'iOGOLA'lE,l AND' LIKE Il RIALS y Filed Aug. 3J, 1.921,z 14 Sheets-Sheet 2 sci" Sep't. 1, 1925.

.C. E. GARDN ET AL APPARATUS FO OOD MATERIALS WITH l EDIBLE FA HE MIXING o GH LATE, yAND ,LIKE MATERIALS F11 ,Au'g. 31, 1921 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 1, 1925. 1,552,293

C. E. GARDNER ET' jAL APPARATUS FOR THE, MIXING 0F I fooDglATnnIALs WITH ED'I'BLE FATS, 4('JIIO(N)1',ATI'1,."AND LIKE MATERIALS l Filed Agg. 51, 1921 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 1,1925. 1,552,293

'- c. E. GARDNER ET AL APPARATUS `roxzl'rma urxme or. roon lA'rsnIALs WITH annum. FAT's`-, cHocoLA'ra, AND L'ImxA'rsnIALs FnedfAug. 31. 1921 14 Sheetsfshe'et Sept. l. 1925. 1,552,293

C.. E.4 GARDNER ET Alav APPARATUS Fon, fran' panne or' r'oon uA-rznIALs WITH antena FA'rs, cHocoLA'rz., AND 1min uATnnIALs Filed Aug. 51, 1.921 14 Sheets-Shu. 7

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APPARATUS FOR EDIBLE FATS,

THB umn E. GARDNER ET AL c gobonmn, AND hun. uA'rnn'IALs Fiid Aug. 31. 1921 or Foon inrBRIALs WITH 14 Sheets-Sheet a sept. 1, 192s. 1,552,293

C. E. GARDNER ET AL APPARATUS FOR THE MIXING OF FOOD MATERIALS WITH EDIBLE FATS, CHOCOLATE, AND LIKE MATERIALS FledlALlg. 5l, 1921. 14 Sheets-Sheet 9 Sept. l, 1925A 1,552,293

C. EVGARDNER E'FAL. APPARATUS Fon THEMIXING oF Foon MATERIALS WITH annu: FA'rs, cHocoLATE, Aun Lm: MATERIALS Filed Aug. 31, 1921 14 Sheets-Sheet 10 ,Auml

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um wm f mm. k \uu Spt 1, 1925 kmi sept". 1, 192s. 1,552,293

C. E. GARDNER E'TL APPARATUS FOR THE MIXING 0E FOOD MATERIALS WITH EDIBLE FATS, CHOCOLATE, AND LIKE -MATERIALS 1 Filed Aug. 31, 1921 14 Sheets-Sheet l2 Sept. 1l 1925.l 1',552,293

.A .C. E. GARDNER ET`AL APPARATUS FOR THE MIXING 0F FOOD MATERIALS WITH EDIBIIE FATSL CHOCOLATE, v AND LIKE MATERIALS Filed Aug. 31, 1321' 14 Sheets-Sheet l5 @www l, I C. GARDNERET 'A APPARATUS FOR MIXI 0F FOOQQy MAT `ALS WITH LE FATS,

EDIB CH L AND" LIKE. 'MATERIALS File Aug. 31, 1921 14` Sheets-Sheet 14 l MKM g3g ,Z

Patented Sept. l, 1925.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

OF KIDDERMINSTER, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR THE MIXING OF FOOD MATERIALS WITH EDIBLE FATS, CHOCOLATE,

, AND LIKE MATERIALS.

'Application filed August 31, 1921.

To all whom it may con/cem:

Be it known that we, CHARLES EDWARD GARDNER, a British subject, of Bristol Road, Gloucester, England, and ARTHUR ROWLAND GOODWIN, a British subject, of Boscombe, Kidderminster, England, have invented a new Apparatus for the Mixing of Food Materials withEdible Fats, Chocola-te, and like Materials, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to a complete apparatus or plant for carrying on a continuous operation which enables particles of cereals or other food materials to be suiii ciently coated with materials such as edible fats, chemical substances, chocolate and the like, which require to be added in order to keep in a liquid form during their application, and it consists primaril' apparat-us for maintaining said materials at the requisite temperature to enable same to be conveyed to and sprayed upon such cereals as same is caused to descend in a divided condition from a sifter in its passage to a mixer arranged below same, and further in the combination of ysuch apparatus with apparatus for preparatory treatment of the cereals to bring same if necessary to the required condition to ensure the adhesion of the sprayed liquid to the cereals, and finally with apparatus for the subsequent drying vand sifting or grading thereof, after the spraying and. mixing operation has been effected.

For the purpose of maintaining the material to be sprayed on to the cereals at the required temperature a melting pot or pots having agitators is provided and is heated preferably by' a steam coil situated in a water jacket below the melting pot and through whicha circulation can be maintained, and the steam pressure to the coil bein adjusted by a control valve to enable the desired temperature to be attained.

The melting pot or pots is arranged in connection with duplicate containers or receivers, which can be alternately placed in communication therewith for filling, while the other is by an insulated tube connected with a, spraying nozzle delivering into a oasing between a sifter and mixing apparatus arranged beneath same, and into which the Serial No. 497,217.

cereals pass from said sifter in a. divided condition. The containers are connected together and to the melting pot so as to permit them to be alternately fillin and delivering to the spraying nozzle, an a continuous operation thus carried on. l

Each of the containers is in connection with a compressed air supply, which when admitted by acting them to the spraying nozzle which is also connected with said air supply so as to produce an ejector action and effect the dispersal or issue of said material in a fine spray from the nose thereof. The containers and also the connection between .them and with the spraying nozzle are water ljacketed to as near the nose or point of issue asv ossible,and a steam coil contained in sai jacket enables the desired temperature to be maintained throughout to ensure the material to be sprayed being kept in the necessary condition for its conveyance to and issue from the nozzle in the required finely divided spray, and a strainer is preferably arranged at the outlet from the container and a valve provided to control the flow of material to the spraying nozzle. Rotating stirrers are also preferably provided to keep the liquid in constant agitation in the containers and ensure uniformity of consistency of the materials. The containers may also be provided with a closed inlet permitting lthe supply direct to the containers of material which does not require preparatory treatment in the melting pot.

By the employment of two or more sets of containers each'oiwllich is supplied with a different material, either from a separate melting pot or directly, and the outlets of which are connected through pipes provided with valves to a spraying nozzle4 or nozzles common to them all, so that 'the materials from either container mayA be directly sprayed on the descending cereals in the mixing chamber, or a, eommingling of the materlals in desired proportions may be effected and sprayed by first passing the different materials from the respective containers t0 a common container in which they become intimately mixed before proceeding to the nozzle.

on the contents forces material is by a conveyor carried to a dryer 4 ,or cooler through which 1t passes and 1s delivered to a sifter below by which it receives the final grading.

A compressor is provided for the supply of comp air to the containers for ex*- erting the pressure on the material contained therein to convey it, to the spraying l I complete plant for carrying out the continu- I l, insulation tube therefrom.

Q Fig, 13 is an end-elevation of an arrange? Pot 0011 A in pot agitator plates.

nozzles, and also to such 'nozzles for producmg the necessary injector and sprayingv action.

The ap aratusfor the preliminary treatment of t e cereals may be steam-jacketed and for some materials a gelatinizer is pro vided. The gelatinizer may be steam ]ack.

leted or otherwise heated and steam is also su lied to the interior of the gelatinizer.

e mixer and containers with their con-v nections to the spraying nozzles and the dryer are steam jacketed and also connected with a water supply to enable the tempera ture to be regulated as required.-

The accompanying dra gs illustrate a ous operation inclu the preliminary treatment of thematenal' a gelat1mzer prior to its assage tothe spraying ap ratus from w ence it is conveyed toa er and then to a sifter or grader which delivers it into suitable receptacles. A Fig. 1 is an endl elevation 'of such com- -plete plant.

Fig. 2 a' longitudinal elevation-ana Fig, 3 a plan view thereof. Fi 4 is a longitudinal section drawn a larger scale of thesprayin nozzle.

Fig. 5 is a combined verti section ofthe container for the spraying material and the 6 is an end elevation of Fig. *5, and Fig. 7 is a plan view thereof. v FigieS-is a sectional planof the-'insulation in nozzle.

' ig. 9 is a vertical section of the melting supplying the spraying' material to the tama-s. j Fig. 10 is a lan view thereof, and Fig. 11 a si e elevation of one f the melt- 1g. 12 is a vertical section through the sifter and mixer with intermediate 'spiying chamber and showing'the powder attachment thereto.

ment of two sets of containers with their melting pots. to embodied in the plant for uiredv roportionstothe q' p ferabl tween the containers and the sprayenablin the spraying to be elected with two di erent materia Fig. 14 is a side elevation of Fig. 13, and

Fig. 15 a plan view thereof.

Fi 16 is a longitudinal section through the c'yer and sifter or grader to which the material passes from the sprayer, and

Fig. 17 is a transverse section thereof.

In the above the piping is omitted but is shown 4in Figs. 18, 19 and 2O which corres nd with Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

In t e completeinstallation illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the cereal or other vfood ma- 2 of any suit-able construction, and nozzles 3 of a liquid spraying apparatus are situated so as to deliver in a spray form the material with which it is desired to coat such cereal as it falls in a finely divided condition from such sifter to a mixer 4 arranged beneath it.

The cereal may be delivered either directly to hopper 1 or may be submitted to a pre-` treatment which will bring the particles t ereof to the required condition to ensure ready adhesion of the coating material thereto as same is injected thereon in a film or spray from the nozzles 3. In the drawings a gelatinizer 5 is shown -to the by a screw 7 is conve ed through the steam jacketed c linde'r 8 t ereof,.and in its passage is su jectedito the action of steam ise inner end 'into the hopper 1 ofsifter hopper 6 of which the cereal is supplied and and asabove described is then sprayed by e nozzles 3 as it passes `von to the mixer 4 vounngs or othervmatcrials in a r" between the slfter 2 andmixer 4 pre y at a'point vbelow that, at which the material is subto the action of the spraying nozzles 3, and p with the sprayedinaterial. into the mixer b which it becomes intimately and disseminated throughout mingled wit the mass thereof.

From the s deliverfy'end ofthe mixer-4 the sprayed material is by anelevator 10 raised to a' er 11 and finally passes to a sifter er 12 beneath and is delivered 'into e barrels or sacks 13 suitably arranged to receive saine. p The above is a eral descriptionof the operation as carried outfby the plant, the apparatus for effecting the different operations of which may be, of any known or a roved construction for effecting the dlferent requirements, but in order t0 ensure vthat the material which is to be sprayed on to the cereals is maintained at the required temperature necessary to ensure vits issue from the nozzles in the required .'ne spray form the spcial arrangement shown in detail in Figs. 4 to 11 isemployed,

The coating material is introduced into a melting pot 14, (see Figs. 9, 10 and 11) provided with winged agitators which are suitably rotated to ensure uniformity of mixture, the pot being water jacketed and maintained at the required degree of temperature by the admission of steam through a circularsteam coil 16 situated i'n the bottom thereof.

' The liquid material prepared in the melting pot 14 is -by a pipe 17, under-the control of valves 18 alternately supplied to one of mixing chamber two containers 19, the container to be brought into operation being closed and placed under pressure by the admission through a valve 20 of compressed air from a compressor 21, which acting on the surface of the liquid forces same through a valve 22 (see Figs. 5 and 6) at the bottom of the container and controlled by hand wheel 23, to regulate the flow to suit the supplyof material required to be sprayed.

The liquid material passing through the valve 22 is forced through a tube 24 surrounded by insulating tubes 25, leading to the nozzles 3 but before it can issue therefrom into the spraying chamber 26 (Figs. 1 and 12) between the sifter 2 and the mixer 4 it is atomized or reduced to a vaporous condition by the admission of compressed air to the nozzles 3 at the point 27. lThe supply of air is controlled by a valve situated in the main air supply pipe leading from the compressor 21, the sprayed liquid is disseminated throughout the material passing in a divided condition through the and efectually coats' the particles thereof with a uniform covering of liquid.

While the one container 19 is supplying the material to be sprayed to the nozzles 3, the other is receiving material from' the melting. pot 14, and when required by the operation of the valves the action may be reversed so that a continuous spraying operation is ensured.

The spraying section of the installation is especially designed to suit the varying consistencies of diderent liquids to be sprayed, and for this purpose the containers 19 and the internal transporting tubes 24 are provided with hot water jackets 28, so that the flow of the spraying liquids can be maintained at an uniform temperature right up to the point of the sprayers 3. The water jacket of lthe insulating tubes 25 is heated by. a steam coil 29, and the circulation of the hot ,water automatically maintained in the container jackets through the passages 30, a control valve 31 being provided for adjusting the steam' pressure in the coil 29 to vcontrol the temperature as required;

The containers 19 are provided with stirrers 32 to maintain a constant circulation, and a strainer 33 is tted to the outlet to prevent any sediment passing to the sprayers 3.

The containers 19 may be further fitted with an opening at 34 to enable spraying material not requiring preliminary heating in the meltingpot 14 to be supplied directly to such containers, such opening then. being securely closed before being put into communication through the valve 20 with the air compresser 21.v

A single stage direct acting compressor may be employed, and the air before entering the compression cylinder may be purilied by filtration through very finc mesh plated wire.

The compressor serves to generate the necessary energy to convey the liquid between the containers 19 and the spraying nozzles 3 as well as to atomize or reduce the liquid .to the spray form at the point of issue therefrom, the compressed air be- Y ing transmitted from such compressor by pipes fitted with control valves conveniently sit-uated for effecting the necessary adjustment as required.

To permit of the spraying of cereals with a combined spray of two or more differentl substances the arrangement of containers with melting pots hereinbefore described may be duplicated, a plurality of same being employed in connection with a spraying nozzle common to them all, such an arrangement of two sets being illustrated in Figs. 13, 14 and 15 of the drawings.

In these figures the materials to be sprayed may through a system of supply pipes 33 provided with control valves .34 connecting them with the containers 19, be di-` rected alternately to either of the two pairs of containers 19, and from the latter of which the spraying material may pass either directly to issue together from the nozzles 3, or, by adjusting the cont-rol valves 34 may be diverted to one of the commingling containers 19 to permit of the blending of the materials from the upper containers 19 before, by the by-pass 35, passing to said under treatment has received the liquid ma-l terial from the spraying nozzles 3. The provision of a feeder for this purpose is indicated at 47 in Figs. 1 to 3 and separately in Fig. 12, is of the known form in which powder is kept in agitation by stirrers and tinuous wor action of blades 36 arranged helically and.

rotating in a steam jacketed casing 37 so as to` convey same to the op site end while subjected to heat. The dried material may either pass out directly through an opening 38 in the bottom casing 37 for the urpose of i working in batches, but which or conwill be closed by the slide f 39 when a suicienthead will accumulate to casing of the sifter or grader 12 arranged,v beneath same'- and the material forcedv through the sieve 41 of which by the rotating brush 42 falls into the casing of a screw conveyor 43 which delivers it centrally into receptacles 13 arranged to lreceive same, while any lumps or tailings not passing through the sieve 41 aredischarged at the end 45-thereof. v

The installation provides all' the necessary apparatus for treating and amalgamating special food roducts, as selected from granular cerca flour, edible fats, iavourings, essences, powders, fruits, sugar, colouring matters, etc., and a supply of interchangeable nozzles will be prov1ded to meet varyu conditions of the liquids to be Spray An overhead water supply' tank 46 is suitably arranged and distributing piping fitted with the necessary control valves wil be provided for the steam and su ply.

team is supplied throu h al pipe 48 controlled by a valve 49. T

jets 9 of the gelatinizer. 5. Another branch 51 leads tothe steam coil 16 in the melting pot 14. Another branch 52 leads to the nozzles 3. Another branch 53 leads to the jacket of tlie mixer 4. Another branch 54 leads to the jacket of the dryerll. Cold water from the' tank 46 passes along a pipe 55 to the mixer 4 and another branch 56 leads to the vcontainers 19 and another branch 57 leads to the melting pot 14for` Awashing out purposes and another branch 58 leads to the dryer 11. Steam and water drain pipes 59 leading to the main drain pipe 60 are provided. Compressed air from the compressor 21 passes by a pipe 61 to the containers 19 and spray nozzles 3.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s:-

cold water e pipe 48 hasv a branch 50 leading to the jacketand steam casacca substance, a sifter to receive said materials,

means"V for spraying the liquid onto the material in its assage from said sifter', a mixer to receive t e vsprayed material located below the spraying means, va. dryer connected with the mixer to receive the materialtherefrom, and a grader connected to receive the material from the dryer. j'

2. In an apparatus for coating food materials with liquid substances, the combination of mechanism for treating the material to ensure the adhesion of the coating substance, a siter to receive said material, means for spraying the liquid onto the material in its .passage from said sifter, a mixer to receive the sprayed material. 1ocated below the spraying means, means for supplying iiavoring material to said mixer, a dryer connected to receive the material from the mixer, and a grader connected with the dryer.

3. In an apparatus for coating food ma' Y a mixer to receive the sprayed material, a

dryer connected with the mixer, means for:

conveying the material from the mixer to the dryer, a grader connected to receive the material fromv the dryer, and a conveyor to deliver the material from the grader to a `suitable place of deposit.-

4; In an apparatus for coating food materials with liquidsubstances, the combination of a gelatinizer for treating the material to ensure the adhesion of the coatino substance, a sifter to receive the gelatinized material, a mixer to receive the material from the sifter, spraying nozzlesdischarging into the path'trave-rsed by the material in its passage from the sitter to the mixer, I

a dryer, a conveyor for conducting the material from the mixer to the dryer, and a grader connected to receive the material from thedryer.

5. In an a paratus for coating food materials with iquid substances, a gelat-inizer for treating the material to be coated to ensure the adhesion of the coating substance, a.;` sifter to receive the gelatinizcd material, .af mixer to receive the material, from the sifter, spraying nozzles discharging into the path traversed by the material in its passage from thesifter to the mixer, a drier, a conveyor for conducting the materialffrom the mixer to thedryer, heating means i'n'the .form of a valve controlled pipe, for supplyj ing steam to the apparatus, said pipe having branches leading respectively' to the gelatinizer, the spraying nozzles, the mixer andthe dryer.

6. In an apparatus for coating food matereceive the material from the melting pot,

heating means for the container, a spraying nozzle connected with the container and discharging into the path of the material in its passage from the sitter to the mixer,.

means for heating the spraying nozzle, and connections for compressed air for the container and thenozzle.

7. In an apparatus for coating food materials with liquid substances, the combination of a sifter to receive the food materials, a mixer located below the sifter, a spraying chamber intermediate the chamber and the mixer, aspraying device for spraying the liquid o-nto the material in its passage from said sifter through the spraying chamber to the mixer, means for heating the-spraying device, a drier connected with the mixer to receive the material therefrom, and a grader connected to the drier to receive the material from the latter.

8. In an apparatus for coating food materials with liquid substances, the combination of a sifter to receive the food materials, a mixer located below the sifter, a spraying chamber intermediate the sifter and the mixer, a spraying device for spraying the liquid onto the material in its passage from the said sifter through the spraying chamber to the mixer, mean's for heating the spraying device, means for supplying flavo-ring material to said mixer, a drier connected with the mixer to receive the material therefrom, and a grader connected with the drier.

9. In an apparatus for coating food materials with liquid substances, the combination of a siter to receive the food materials, a mixer located below the sitter, a spraying chamber intermediate vthe sitter and the mixer, a spraying device` for spraying the liquid onto the material in its passage from the said sifter through the spraying chamber to the mixer, means for heating the spraying device, a drier connected with the mixer to receive the material therefrom, means for conveying the material from the mixer to the drier, a grader connected to the drier to receive the material therefrom, and a conveyor to deliver the material from the grader to a suitable place of deposit.

10. In an apparatus for coating food materials with liquid substances, the combination of a sifter to receive the food. materials, a mixer located below the sifter, a spraying chamber intermediate the sitter and the mixer, a spraying device for spraying the liquid onto the material in its passage from the said sifter through the spraying chamber to the mixer, means for heating the spraying device, means for supplying flavoring material to the mixer, a drier connected with the mixer to receive the material therefrom, means forconveying the material from themixer to the drier, a grader connected to the drier for receiving the material therefrom, and a vconveyor to deliver the material from the grader to a suitable place of deposit.

11. In an apparatus for coating food materials with liquid substances, the combination of a sitter to receive the food material,

a mixer located below the sitter, a spraychamber intermediate the mixer and sitter, a spraying nozzle fordischarging the liquid into the path traversed by the material in its passage from the sitter to the mixer, a drier, a conveyor for conducting the material from the mixer to the drier, heating means in the form of a valvecontrolled pipe for supplying steam to the apparatus, said pipe having branches leading respectively to the gelatinizer, theA spraying nozzles, the mixer and the drier.

ing the '12. In an apparatus for coating food materials with substances which are heated to render them liquid including a gelatinizer, means for heating the gelatinizer both internally and externally, a conveyor in the gelatinizer, a sifter connected to the gelatinizer, a mixing apparatus connected with the sifter, means for heating the coating substances to render them liquid, a spray nozzle connected. with said last mentioned means, and connections for compressed air for the nozzle.

13. In an apparatus for coating food material with liquid substances, 'the combination of a gelatinizer for treating the material to ensure the adhesionof the coating substance and comprising a hopper to receive the material to be treated, a steam jacketed cylinder leading from said hopper, steam jets discharging into said cylinder, and a conveyor-screw located in said cylinder, a sifter to receive the food materials,L a mixer located below the sitter, a melting pot to receive the coating substance to be heated, means for heating the melting pot, a container connected to receive the material from the melting pot, heating means for the container, a spraying nozzle connected with the container anddischarging into the path of the material in its passage from the sifter to the mixer, means for heating the spraying nozzle, and connections for compressed air for the container and the nozzle.

14. An apparatus of the class described including a melting pot for the coating material comprising a vessel having spaced ceiving vessels means for alternately placing said duplicate .vessels in communication with said first mentioned vessel, spraying Y nozzles connected with said receivin vessels 4for discharge of the coating materia means connecting said receivin vessels together and to the first mentione vessel to provide for the alternate filling of said receiving vessels and delivery to the sprayin nozzle.

15. An apparatus of the class fescribed including a melting pot to receive the subvstances to-be vheated and used as a coating, 4means for heatinol `themelting pot, `a container connected with the melting pot, means for heating the container, a spraying nozzle, a tube leading from` the container to the spraying nozzle, vanother tube and a heating coil surrounding the iirst mentioned tube, means for heating the coil, and connections for compressed air for the container and. the nozzle.

16. An apparatus of the class described including a Jacketed melting pot, a heating coil in the jacket of the pot, agitators in the melting pot, means for operating the avitators, a container vconnected with the me ing pot. means for heatingthe container,

a spraying nozzle, a tube leading from the container to the spraying nozzle another tube and a, coil surrounding the first mentioned tube, means for heating the coil, and connections for compressed vair for the container and the nozzle. In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specilication. l

CHARLES EDWARD GARDNER. ARTHUR ROWLAND GOODWIN. 

